A GROUP of 30 Year 8 students from Burnt Mill Academy, in First Avenue, Harlow, took the five-day trip to Normandy.

During their stay, they were set the challenge of going to a market with a set budget and producing a lunch. They also visited a bakery to see croissants made and tried out archery and rock climbing before a trip to Paris and a stay in the Disney hotel.

Louise Birke, head of modern foreign languages, said: “The trip gave them a real opportunity to try out their language and to get a passion for the country. If you love a country, it gives you the incentive to learn the language. They are now all asking about doing GCSE French.”